Game 1: Tri-City 6, Everett 5 (OT)
Published 10:54 pm Friday, March 20, 2009
TALKING POINTS
Valiant effort by the Tips tonight. But once again they came up short in overtime. Everett was 0-7 in games decided in OT during the regular season, and that trend carried over into Game 1 of the playoffs.
The Tips really could have used this one. Already heavy underdogs, they need to take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself. Especially with Tri-City star goaltender Chet Pickard, playing for the first time since Feb. 28 because of a concussion, not yet back up to full speed. Pickard didn’t have his best game tonight, and the Tips missed an opportunity. I wouldn’t expect Pickard to be rusty for long.
Nevertheless, it was a good effort by the Tips. Even after falling behind 5-3 with 3:13 remaining they managed to find a way to get the game into overtime, with Daniel Bartek putting in the tying goal with 21.9 seconds remaining. And the Tips had chances to win it in OT, but couldn’t bury them.
The period that really hurt the Tips was the second. Everett gave Tri-City four straight power plays during the period, and although the Americans only scored once on those power plays, it was enough to rattle Everett’s younger defensemen, who looked nervous out there tonight. Everett led 2-1 going into the second and trailed 4-2 going out.
Well, maybe not all of Everett’s younger defensemen looked nervous. Ryan Murray was the exception. Given the circumstances — a 15-year-old making his WHL debut in a road playoff game — he turned in an astounding performance. His composure was unreal. I figured he had a good future ahead, I just didn’t know the future was now. He was a top-three d-man out there tonight.
The really bad news for Everett, however, is that leading scorer Kellan Tochkin skated off slowly midway through the second period and did not return. It wasn’t a very violent hit, Tochkin didn’t look that bad as he was skating off and he initially remained on the bench. But he didn’t reappear in the third period or overtime and his status for tomorrow’s game is unknown (as is the nature of the injury). Just when you thought the kid line was back …
